If I am unable to keep missed fasts from Ramadhan, is it permissible for me to give Fidya?

Question:

Due to having a baby at the beginning of Ramadan last year, I was unable to fast. I have not been able to keep any missed fasts since due to laziness and little sickness. What are my options of compensating for those missed fasts? Is it possible to maybe pay a certain amount to the poor or feed the needy etc.?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

It is compulsory upon you to make Qadha for all the fasts that you have missed during the month of Ramadan. The missed fasts will be obligatory upon you as long as you have the strength to fast. You may make up for the missed fasts anytime throughout your life.[1] You will not be required to fast consecutively.

However, if a person has reached such an old age where he no longer possess the strength to fast or he is so sick that there is no hope left in recovering from that sickness, then one will be required to give Fidya. The Fidya is:

1. One may give half Saa’ (1.6kgs.) of wheat or its price to one poor person per fast or
2. One may give 1 Saa’ (3.2kgs.) of dates or its price to one poor person per fast or
3. One may give 1 Saa’ (3.2kgs) of barley or its price to one poor person per fast.

Note: One may give the Fidya of multiple missed fasts to one poor person. In contrast, it is not permissible to give one poor person less than one Fidya. In other words, it is not permissible to divide the Fidya by giving one Fidya to multiple poor people.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.